Estrogen causes distribution of fat to move from visceral to subcutaneous. That’s the reason “beer bellies” are usually seen on men, and why women usually have a “softer” or curvier physique. For overweight trans people, fat distribution can be a source of dysphoria. A lot of trans women are upset to have big bellies, and a lot of trans men are upset to be curvy. Hormones will change a person’s fat distribution in a couple of years. The matter of where under the skin subcutaneous fat settles, though, isn’t changeable by hormones.
Interesting. Is there a specific estrogen that causes that? I know that I used to get Arimidex (an aromatase inhibitor) from my doctor along with my weekly testosterone cypionate shot to block the aromatization into estradiol.
I know that excess estradiol levels can do other weird things in men too, like gynecomastia.
Belly fat is a combination of visceral and subcutaneous. Even if you mostly have subcutaneous fat, a lot of that can still be on the belly. The difference is that visceral fat is among the organs and contributes to organ failure risk. It’s also below the tummy muscles. Subcutaneous belly fat is above the tummy muscles. This is why a man’s belly is more likely to be hard, while a woman’s belly is more likely to be soft.
RBWells@lemmy.world 5 months ago
What does that mean?
exocrinous@lemm.ee 5 months ago
Estrogen causes distribution of fat to move from visceral to subcutaneous. That’s the reason “beer bellies” are usually seen on men, and why women usually have a “softer” or curvier physique. For overweight trans people, fat distribution can be a source of dysphoria. A lot of trans women are upset to have big bellies, and a lot of trans men are upset to be curvy. Hormones will change a person’s fat distribution in a couple of years. The matter of where under the skin subcutaneous fat settles, though, isn’t changeable by hormones.
HelixDab2@lemm.ee 5 months ago
Interesting. Is there a specific estrogen that causes that? I know that I used to get Arimidex (an aromatase inhibitor) from my doctor along with my weekly testosterone cypionate shot to block the aromatization into estradiol.
I know that excess estradiol levels can do other weird things in men too, like gynecomastia.
exocrinous@lemm.ee 5 months ago
I don’t know which estrogen does that
RBWells@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Plenty of women put on belly fat too though. Most of us aren’t the hourglass type. I do understand what you are saying though.
exocrinous@lemm.ee 5 months ago
Belly fat is a combination of visceral and subcutaneous. Even if you mostly have subcutaneous fat, a lot of that can still be on the belly. The difference is that visceral fat is among the organs and contributes to organ failure risk. It’s also below the tummy muscles. Subcutaneous belly fat is above the tummy muscles. This is why a man’s belly is more likely to be hard, while a woman’s belly is more likely to be soft.